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Local World promises “major overhaul of content”

Regional publisher Local World has promised a “major overhaul of content” across its newspaper titles in a bid to grow both its audience and revenues.

The company, formed last month by a merger of Northcliffe Media and Iliffe News and Media, has today named three newspaper centres which will blaze the trail for a “transformation project” to be rolled out over the next 18 months.

They are Derby, which publishes the Derby Telegraph, Cambridge, home of the Cambridge News, and Exeter, which publishes the daily-turned-weekly Express & Echo.

Staff at the three centres will be supported by a ‘transformation team’ which includes former Bristol Post publisher Alan Renwick, digital director Lee Williams and Express & Echo editor Andy Phelan.

In a press statement, Local World said the transformation project would focus on “a major overhaul of content, in order to drive growth in audience and advertiser numbers.”

It said the three centres had been chosen to reflect a mix of print frequency, geographic spread, type of market served and systems currently used.

Chief executive Steve Auckland said: “This is the first stage of reequipping our businesses to be really fit for the future. The three sites named today will help develop ideas and provide valuable insights before we roll this out to all our existing sites.

“It’s an exciting challenge to balance our well run sites with a more digitally focused future while maintaining our integrity and unbeatable local skills.”

Local World was created when DMGT agreed to sell Northcliffe Media to the new consortium for £52.5m plus 38.7pc of the new company.

Iliffe News and Media parent company Yattendon plc has taken a 21.3pc stake while Trinity Mirror has 20pc.

What a lot of people say is that local papers no longer carry local stories. Ours has gone weekly and is full of ‘features’ by people such as a vet, a doctor, vicar, personal trainer. One of the ladies who works there writes about living with her husband and child – bizarre! One article was about arranging her child’s birthday party! The stuff of women’s mags!

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